“We are creating a problem for ourselves with that,” says alderman Werner ten Kate. “If you call tomorrow and ask who will install the pole, we just don’t know yet.”
Exclusive rights
Allego provides residents with electric charging stations for cars. That costs the council nothing. In exchange, it has been agreed that the company will be the only party in Hoogeveen that is allowed to install and operate the piles. The municipality wants to get rid of this construction and it has therefore been decided to terminate the contract.
“Until now, Allego had exclusive rights,” continues alderman Werner ten Kate. “It is important for a municipality to be able to do business with multiple parties. For example, we also want to give local entrepreneurs the opportunity to deliver. There is nothing concrete yet, but we are going to find out what the options are.”
Manpower is missing
By terminating the contract, residents will no longer be able to submit an application – with retroactive effect from 1 January 2022. According to the municipality, rapid action must be taken to be able to provide applicants with a charging station. That turns out to be difficult. “There is not yet a plan and suppliers,” explains ten Kate.
But that is not the only problem, he said. A tender procedure is started in the search for a new supplier. In addition, discussions are necessary with the network operator for the correct connections and there are many questions about invoicing and contracts. A lot of manpower is needed to ensure that everything runs smoothly, but according to the municipality there is none.
“We don’t have to do much now. If someone wants a pile, we test it. We then notify Allego and the company comes to install the pile. But the entire construction will have to be re-examined later, we just don’t have it there. enough people for it. That makes it difficult,” said the alderman.
‘Loading vision’
Hoogeveen has concluded the contract with Allegro together with ten municipalities in Drenthe and nine Groningen municipalities. The rest extend the agreement for a year. Hoogeveen hesitated to do the same, especially to get together again after that period and to look at new options for charging stations.
It is expected that by 2025 around 10 percent of all passenger vehicles will be electric. Every municipality must therefore draw up a so-called charging vision with infrastructure. It states how many piles there will be and who will supply them. “We are currently looking for an interim solution,” says Ten Kate. “There are still many questions about how to deal with the piles in the coming years. We are now busy making our vision.”
Allego will continue to monitor and maintain the charging stations that have been installed during the term of the contract in recent years.